Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons shoots and scores a 3-point basket during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013, in Houston. The Rockets beat the Warriors 140-109. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Photo: Dave Einsel, Associated Press

Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons shoots and scores a 3-point...

Image 4 of 4

Houston Rockets trainer Keith Jones, left, helps Jeremy Lin (7) control a bloody nose after he was fouled during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013, in Houston. The Rockets beat the Warriors 140-109. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Barely a year ago, Jeremy Lin found himself crying in a shower - overwhelmed by the insanity of his breakout performance with the Knicks and with no way of knowing the Linsanity that would follow.

"It had been such a long journey for me," Lin said after Tuesday's shootaround. "I was thinking about not having had a good game on an NBA floor in a year and a half. That's a long time. My last good game was probably in college, and to have that type of game, a few days before the deadline, was crazy.

"I still remember everything, man. I remember the phone calls I made. Where I went to dinner. All of that."

The rest of the world remembers what happened next. After being waived by his hometown Warriors - Lin went to Palo Alto High - and the Houston Rockets, Lin thought he was on the verge of being waived by the New York Knicks.

Instead, starting with his 25-point, out-of-nowhere performance against Deron Williams and the Nets on Feb. 4, 2012, Lin saved his NBA life. Then, he juked and dished his way through a two-week domination of the league, during which he averaged 25 points on 50.9 percent shooting and 9.2 assists to lead the Knicks to an 8-1 record and stimulate the intrigue of the globe.

Lin became the face of the world's underdog community. He shouldered the responsibilities of his Christian following, his Asian American following and his Harvard following, and he did it while playing in the center of the basketball universe.

"It was definitely a whirlwind," Lin said. "I definitely learned and grew a lot as a person. I got exposed to a lot more than I'll be exposed to the rest of my life in terms of how fast everything happened.

"Every time I think back, I'm just thankful. I still remember, kind of like yesterday, what it was like to be fighting for my spot and coming to work everyday unsure if it would be my last. I try to stay thankful and grateful and keep that memory of where I used to be fresh in my mind, so I don't take things for granted."

Today, Lin is the Rockets' unquestioned starting point guard, having signed a three-year, $25 million contract. He had a quiet meeting with old teammates Stephen Curry and David Lee at a downtown Houston restaurant a night ahead of Tuesday's game, in which he had 28 points and nine assists.

"It feels like it's been somewhere between three and five years since that all happened," Lin said. "... It's crazy. God has been really good to me. It's only been a year, but it seems like so long ago."